The modern world can be a difficult place to live. Every day, we are confronted by headlines announcing another disaster, act of violence, or impending crisis. While technology is a blessing in many ways, it's also led to people becoming more disconnected from one another. It's discouraging, to say the least. 

Often, the veritable flood of bad news has the worrisome effect of making us feel helpless and overwhelmed. After all, in the face of problems of such magnitude and scale, what difference can an individual possibly make? It's all too easy to become complacent in our feelings of ineffectiveness, or to simply resign ourselves to dealing with the way things are rather than trying to change the world. 

But this is not what God would want. 

God created humans as stewards of the Earth and commanded us to love others. In failing to honor those responsibilities, we are disobeying His wishes. As the Bible tells us in James 4:17, "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them." Inaction is not an option. 

Still, that leaves a difficult question—how to let God work through you and create positive changes in the world?

The answer, as it turns out, is less complicated than you might think. Here, we've compiled a few simple ways to harness your faith and let your love for God change the world:

Seek Guidance in Scripture

God gave us the Bible to serve as His living word to guide us on Earth. In looking for ways to change the world, we need look no further than the instructions in Scripture. 

The Bible shows us that making positive changes doesn't have to be about wielding power or large, showy gestures. Jesus and his disciples didn't pursue political power or publicity; rather, they focused on preaching the word of God, healing the sick, practicing tolerance and kindness, and giving to the poor—things that all of us have the power to do on a regular basis. By using Jesus as our example, we can't go wrong. 

Ask God for Power and Direction

If we let it, God's will acts as the guiding star for our actions, but following it requires that we keep our eyes and attention trained on its light. To do this, it's important that we maintain a close relationship with God, both through prayer and reading His word. 

As humans, it's normal for us to lose our way or feel discouraged. As long as we turn back to God for guidance each time we falter in our efforts, we have nothing to be ashamed of. God will give us strength and direction, if we only have the courage to ask for it. 

Be Mindful of Your Time

When was the last time you caught yourself scrolling mindlessly on social media, or looked up from the TV only to realize that you'd been watching for hours longer than you'd intended?

Modern technology and media are designed to distract us. If we're not careful, we can end up wasting hours of each day on things that aren't meaningful or productive—hours that could instead be used to do God's work, or spend time communing with Him. 

Of course, rest and leisure are necessary, and there's nothing wrong with watching movies or taking time for yourself to recharge. The key is that we spend our time intentionally, rather than just allowing ourselves to be sucked into the gravitational pull of the latest Netflix binge because we feel we have nothing better to do. 

God gave each of us a finite, precious amount of time on this earth, but it's up to us to use it to the fullest of our abilities. The next time you catch yourself in a moment of mindlessness, ask yourself whether what you're doing is aligned with your higher purpose. If the answer is no, it might be time to re-evaluate how you're using your time. 

Turn to Your Community

Together, we can accomplish so much more than we can alone. A good church community can serve as a source of guidance or support, a bulwark for our faith, and a chance to join our efforts with those of others to make a difference in the world. 

As a collective, we have access to more resources and opportunities that we would otherwise, whether in the form of mission trips organized by our church or worship groups that can help us better understand the word of God. 

Word of Life Church is dedicated to making the world a better place by spreading the Word and Love of God. Our mission is to create an authentic, welcoming worship community, and to empower people to live a life of faith and service in the name of Jesus. Our offerings include a variety of worship experiences, Life Groups, youth programs, and service initiatives for individuals of all ages, all of them designed to offer community and opportunities to engage with God. Attend a sermon or contact us today to learn more about how we can serve you, or consider donating to support our work.